Posts Tagged ‘daedalic’

The original Blackguards was like a wax apple. I saw it sitting there in the fruitbowl of the internet – shiny, red and tempting – but when I plunged my pegs into it and tore off a mouthful I made a face like Stan Laurel chewing a wasp. I love tactical RPGs but the early missions of Daedalic’s villain ‘em up felt like puzzles with a single solution rather than reactive scenarios.

Enter the sequel, with a somewhat dynamic strategic map and increased scope for customisation of the main character. I’ve taken a bite.

I didn’t get along with Blackguards, Daedalic’s Dark Eye universe strategy RPG. On paper, it sounded like it might be a cup of tea that was almost entirely up my street but I found the early battles a slog. Too often, I’d see my party smashed to bits and have to replay until I found the ‘correct’ method for a particular fight.

Despite that, I’ve been mildly interested in the sequel, partly because there’s a dearth of these kind of tactical combat RPGs on the PC, and partly because Blackguards felt like it might be a couple of steps from greatness. Or at least goodness. I haven’t paid sufficient attention to post any videos before now, which makes this a perfect place to plant both of the ‘New Features’ videos that have been released.

Alec rather struggled to enjoy Blackguards. A far too dull game, despite offering some oft-loved turn-based RPGness, it failed to find that King’s Bounty love. However, the game continues on defiantly, and has just launched its first DLC – Blackguards: Untold Legends – only a month or so after release.

Randal’s Monday is a point and click adventure starring a man doomed to repeat the same dreadful Monday over and over again. John first spotted it in December 2012 and I theorise that development has been stuck in a loop similar to the fictional one in the game’s plot since then. Now, a press release informs me that Daedalic have picked the game up for distribution and it’ll be out in the third quarter of this year. Packed with game, TV and movie references, Randal’s Monday is a “homage to geek culture”. However, I reckon it grabbed the attention of the Deponia developers by including a main character who is described as “a kleptomaniac with sociopathic tendencies who above all is a terrible friend”. Rufus and Randal need some kind of support group.

Remember when we told you about The Whispered World 2, and you were all like, “Yeah, it was quite good, but Sadwick was so bloody annoying.” And we were like, “No, but look! This seems to be about a brother and sister who aren’t Sadwick.” And you were like, “Well, okay, we’ll see, but that seems good news.” Well, we’ve seen. For reasons we cannot fathom, Daedalic seem to think it’s a good idea to send out press releases boasting that Sadwick will be playable in the new game.

I’m sure everybody goes through a phase when they want the baddies to win. That’s why antiheroes were invented and why Han Solo shot first – if every protagonist was a beaming paladin, impressionable youngsters would flock to the guy with all the best tunes. Blackguards is a turn-based tactical RPG, with a focus on combat, and the characters in the player’s party are a rum bunch. There’s something far worse for them to fight against though and the journey will take them across the Dark Eye setting’s world of Aventuria. The game is on Steam Early Access now and there’s a trailer below.

I spent some time with the pointy, clicky people of Daedalic at Gamescom, watching walkthroughs of the next Deponia and the intriguing turn-based RPG Blackguards. Memoria wasn’t on display and I hadn’t realised, until I watched the launch trailer handily concealed below, that it’s set in The Dark Eye universe, which is where the Blackguards live. I’ll have more to say about the crime-infested RPG in the near future, but now is the time for extremely earnest fantasy adventures. Sample line – “And next, we’ll make you a fairy again”.

I am a remarkably optimistic man. I’ve been reviewing adventure games since 1999, starting approximately 17 minutes after the best in the industry stopped releasing their classics. It’s fair to say I’m frequently disappointed. But I remain ever optimistic that each time this could be the one. And with Daedalic, I am certain they’re going to get there. Will Night Of The Rabbit be the one? Here’s wot I think.

Daedalic feel like an adventure developer just on the edge of finding their hit. The Deponia games had potential, and The Whispered World came so close. So can their latest, The Night Of The Rabbit, be the one that really shines? There’s a trailer now, to give us some idea.